With public
facilities closed for the foreseeable future, Prince Albert’s Mann Art Gallery
is finding new and creative ways to connect with art lovers.
Starting today,
Gallery employees will host a daily virtual programming series live on YouTube
and Facebook. The series will run for the next two weeks.
Mann Art
Gallery acting director and curator Lana Wilson said they’ve cancelled or
rescheduled a number of programs and exhibitions. She hopes these virtual
programs will help fill that void.
“You can’t
stop people from making art,” Wilson said during an interview on Monday. “We
will always enjoy seeing the art that is out there. We can just enjoy it in a
new way now.”
The virtual
programs include an art appreciation discussion on Tuesday, a live art activity
for children on Wednesday and a Mann Art Gallery collection discussion on
Thursday. The Friday program will be a sketchbook/journal theme of the week, in
which viewers are encouraged to create a piece of art based on the theme, then
post it on Facebook or Instagram.
“Hopefully
it’s going to engage (people) across the many different demographics and appeal
to the different interests of our members, while also supporting the things
that the Mann Art Gallery does best,” Wilson explained.
Staff
members have been looking for ways to boost the gallery’s social media presence
for a while, but the current program ideas didn’t come into place until the
government-mandated COVID-19 shutdown. They were pleasantly surprised at how
well-received Friday’s Facebook live announcement of the Winter Festival Art
Show and Sale winner, which inspired them to look at new ways to connect with
their audience.
Wilson said
artists and art lovers value face-to-face interaction, something that smaller
walk-in galleries like the Mann Art Gallery excel at. Moving those interactions
online is going to be a challenge, but she’s confident it will prove popular.
“We’re
still here, we’re still working and we can have art continue to inspire us,”
she said. “There’s a way to connect with the Mann Art Gallery, with art
activities, with art education opportunities, and with local artists … even
when we’re closed. I think that idea of maintaining connection with our members
during these difficult times is the primary goal of this current social media
experiment.”
If they
prove popular, gallery staff may continue the live virtual programs after the
COVID-19 outbreak ends. Wilson said it likely won’t be as intensive a schedule,
so art lovers can’t expect virtual programming every day, but they’re open to
doing the occasional live video on YouTube or Facebook.
“Hopefully
this will be really successful experiment,” she said. “Certainly, we’ll be
maintaining that goal of increasing our social media presence. I can’t promise
that all of these things will continue, but at the moment, I think it’s a great
way for us to be spending our time.”
“This is very new,” she added. “I hope people will stick with us.”
Mann Art Gallery virtual programming schedule
Monday: Posting of art created over
the weekend and upcoming program topics.
Tuesday: Art Appreciation Discussion with Acting Director/Curator Lana Wilson,
live on YouTube, 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday: “Danie’s Hive of Creativity,” an Art Activity for Children with
Acting Educator Danielle Castle, video tutorial with supplies lists and
templates, Wednesday morning on YouTube with FB and Instagram image galleries.
Thursday: Mann Art Gallery Collections / Vault Discussion with Registrar Tia
Furstenberg, video, some Q&A, on YouTube, cross posting to FB and Instagram.
Thursday afternoon, 3:00 p.m.
Friday: Sketchbook / Art Journal Theme of the Week announced by rotating
staff. We will give you (and each other) an art theme to make art or journal
about, and then share the results on Monday’s and throughout the week. At least
1 staff member will make art about the theme and post it on Monday on FB and
Instagram. We want to see what you make, too! For children, teens and adults.
Theme announced at 10:00 a.m.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
